The Wire

Indonesia is currently experiencing an increase in HIV infections of epidemic proportions. A new report out by the World health Organisation has found in the past year, there were 2873 new case reported, an increase of one hundred and forty percent on the previous year. The report has found that most infections are occurring in the troubled province of West Papua, which accounts for 50% of all of Indonesia’s cases of HIV. The World Health Organisation believes 2% of West Papua’s population is in fact infected with HIV. But observers believe the figure could be much higher. Anne Noonan is a member of the Australia West Papua Association, and she believes there’s a possibility HIV infection rates are being under-detected.